Barnette re-signs with Rangers; Gonzalez back on minor deal

December 4, 2017Updated: December 4, 2017 6:54pm

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Reliever Tony Barnette has signed a $1.5 million, one-year deal to stay with the Texas Rangers.

Barnette, who had a 3.75 ERA over 103 relief appearances the past two seasons, had become a free agent when the Rangers last month gave him a $250,000 buyout instead exercising their $4 million club option for the right-hander.

Texas also Monday signed right-hander Chi Chi Gonzalez to a minor league deal with the Rangers only days after the team didn't tender him a major league contract for next season.

Gonzalez, outfielder Anthony Gose, left-hander David Hurlbut and infielder Christian Lopes all signed minor league deals with invitations to major league spring training.

Barnette and Matt Bush were the only Rangers relievers with at least 50 appearances in each of the last two seasons. Barnette was 2-1 with a 5.49 ERA in 50 games last season. After six seasons in Japan, the 34-year-old Barnette signed a two-year deal with the Rangers in December 2015.

Gonzalez, the Rangers' first pick in the 2013 amateur draft, missed last season because of a ligament tear in his elbow and had Tommy John surgery July 24. He was briefly a free agent after not being offered a major league contract before Friday's non-tender deadline.

Gose played in 372 major league games as an outfielder for Toronto and Detroit from 2012-16. He pitched in the minors last year, but the left-hander made only 11 relief appearances until July 2 before elbow inflammation ended his season. Texas plans to try him as an outfielder and pitcher.

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